Memory Eternal!

I regret to inform you that Ann Kafoure Freije left us for the heavenly mansions on Friday, January 9th, 2015. A lifelong member and tireless worker here at St. George's, we will miss Ann as much as we rejoice in her well-deserved rest. As a testament to her faithful service, she was a recipient of the Midwest Antiochian Women's Metropolitan Philip Award as well as of our parish's St. George Award.

We regret to announce the repose of the soul of the servant of God and Archdeacon Elias 'Ely' Hamaty. Fr. Ely fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday afternoon 28 December at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton MA, surrounded by his devoted family.

Fr. Ely was born in 1934 and raised in the 'Syrian Colony' of Boston's South End. His parents, Mousa and Nour Hamaty were among the early members of St. George Orthodox Church of Boston. The Hamaty family emigrated from the village of Aafsdiq, Al-Koura near the Balamand Monastery where Mousa attended school and later worked as a cook. Fr. Ely's grandparents, Simon and Mariana, also worked at the Balamand Monastery. After arriving in Boston, his parents operated a successful family owned restaurant in the South End. Fr. Ely entered the family business and operated the restaurant before opening his own electronics firm. ELCO Electronics specialized in marine electronics and communications. Fr. Ely was an avid yachtsman and sports angler who fished the waters from Alaska to the Caribbean.

Archpriest Gabriel Ashie of Orange, CA, fell asleep in Christ on October 25th, 2014. Service arrangements are as follows:

Monday, October 27: The family will be receiving visitors at the Roum Home from 7-10pm. Their address is 367 S. Timken Road, Anaheim Hills 92808. There is limited parking so please carpool if able.

Wednesday, October 29: Viewing and Trisagion at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 6pm. The address is 405 N. Dale Street, Anaheim 92801.(The Life of Moses Book Study previously scheduled at St. Luke's for Wednesday night will be postponed to a later date).

Wednesday, October 29: Funeral Service for a Clergyman at 7pm at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Anaheim, followed by coffee and pastries in their Fellowship Hall. If you would like to bring pastries and/or fruit, please contact Diana Stanford (Diana.stanford@emerson.com).

Thursday, October 30: Divine Liturgy at 9am at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Anaheim followed by the Funeral Service for a Layman at 10am. The interment will take place, following Divine Liturgy and the funeral service, at Santa Ana Cemetery. The address is: 1919 E. Santa Clara Ave, Santa Ana 92705.

Following the interment a Meal of Mercy will be held at a location to be announced.

MEMORY ETERNAL! Charles Slemon, father of Kh. Sharon Nasr (retired at St. Elijah in Oklahoma City), OK, fell asleep in Christ in Rhode Island on Sunday, October 5th at the age of 96. Mr. Slemon will be buried this Saturday, October 11th, from St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Pawtucket, RI. Condolences may be sent to Archpriest Constantine Nasr and Kh. Sharon at revnasr@yahoo.com and sharonnasr@yahoo.com.

Please join me in praying a rope for the repose of his soul, saying, "O Lord Jesus Christ, grant rest to the soul of thy departed servant." May he be granted Paradise, and may you be granted long life.

Memory eternal! Catherine Kouri Massad of Ss. Constantine & Helen Church in Carrollton, Texas reposed last evening, October 11, 2014. Catherine (along with her late daughter Mary) was a longtime fixture at Diocese of Wichita Parish Life Conferences and Antiochian Women functions, and was also well known for her volunteer icon and gift shop "Catherine's Corner" at her parish church. Please join me in praying a rope for the repose of Catherine's soul, saying, "O Lord Jesus Christ, grant rest to the soul of thy departed servant." May she be granted Paradise, and may you be granted long life.

The Very Reverend W.S. Paul Schneirla, longtime pastor at St. Mary Church in Brooklyn, New York, fell asleep in Christ on Saturday, September 20th, 2014 at the age of 98. May his memory be eternal!

Father Paul was ordained an Antiochian priest in 1943, and served parishes in Iron Mountain, MI and Allentown PA, before moving to New York to serve at St. Mary's in Brooklyn from 1951 until his retirement in August, 2002. He served in many capacities within the Archdiocese for 71 years, including: the first chairman of the Department of Christian Education, the dean of the Atlantic Deanery, the first editor of The Word magazine, and as the Archdiocese's Ecumenical Officer.

As a young man, Fr. Paul had converted to Orthodoxy from a Protestant background, and thus years after his ordination, his interest in the Western Rite was kindled by a visit to one of the Rite's parishes within the Romanian Orthodox jurisdiction in Paris, France.

Sarah Metry Najjar, 43, passed away Wednesday morning, August 20, 2014. A lifelong member of St. Michael's Orthodox Church in Louisville, KY, Sarah was very involved in the Fellowship of St. John the Divine on the local, diocesan and national levels.

Sarah attended Sacred Heart Model School and Collegiate High School. Her love of the theatre was nursed at Walden Theatre from the age of 6, and blossomed at New York University at the Tisch School of Arts. After graduating from NYU, Sarah returned to Louisville to work for Walden and eventually as a corporate fund raiser for Fund for the Arts. After a presentation for Fund for the Arts, she was offered a position at U.S. Bank. She completed her MBA at Bellarmine University, and worked as a branch manager until marriage.

Sarah married in 2002, and in the same year, fulfilled an enduring desire to become a teacher.

The Very Rev. Dr. Daniel Matheson reposed in the Lord peacefully on July 5, 2014, surrounded by love. He was 99.

Father Daniel was born on the family farm in Pictou county, Nova Scotia. He was the youngest of four children born to Charlie and Annie Matheson. He was predeceased in 2010 by his beloved wife of 68 years, Presbytera Vera. He is survived by his devoted children Mary (Crawford), Neil (Donna) and Peter (Cindy). He was blessed with four grandchildren, Rawni, David, Heather and Danielle. He took much delight in being the great-grandfather of Kate, Sam, Will, Jack and Cullen. Father Daniel received his B. A. in 1940 from Dalhousie University in Halifax. He received his M. Div. degree from Pine Hill Divinity Hall (now Atlantic School of Theology) also in Halifax. In 1967 The United Theological College of Montreal conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa.

He was ordained into the ministry in the United Church of Canada in 1942 and faithfully served congregations in Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Ontario. In 1985 Fr. Daniel was received into the Evangelical Orthodox Church where he founded and served the Holy Epiphany Evangelical Orthodox Mission in Ottawa. In 1987 he was ordained to the priesthood of the Orthodox Church. In 1991 he began his ministry in St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa. He was blessed with the love and fellowship of the St. Elias Christian community until the end of his life on earth.

Memory Eternal! Angela Nasr of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, fell asleep in Christ late last evening, June 27th, 2014. She was the daughter of the late Fr. Zacharia and Kh. Nasra Nasr; and sister of Kh. Nawall Elias of Jacksonville, Florida; Fr. Constantine Nasr of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kh. Ellen Antypas of Troy, Michigan; and Fr. Elias Nasr of Syracuse, New York. The funeral will be served on Tuesday, July 1st at St. Philip Church in Fort Lauderdale.

Fr. Robert James Bethony, retired and attached to St. George Church in El Paso, Texas, fell asleep in Christ on June 17th, 2014 at the age of 73. He is survived by his wife Khouriya Elizabeth and their married daughter Alexis. The Funeral Service will be served at St. George in El Paso on Friday, June 20 at 10:00AM.

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